Thursday, February 13, 2014

HUGS AND KISSES BLOG HOP

Hello SWEETHEARTS! HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

Are you ready to be smothered insugar HUGS AND KISSES? I hope so. I've got a couple of things to show you. This blog hop is all about paper piecing hearts and x's and o's! I really enjoy paper piecing. I LOVE the perfection it brings to a block or project. It' really is very easy. I hope you FALL IN LOVE with it and give it a try.

Madamme Samm, our fearless leader at Sew We Quilt, who is also our SWEETHEART of a cheerleader for this hop, has teamed up with Soma, at Whims and Fancies a SWEETHEART of a creative paper piecing lady to bring us the pattern we were to use. You're going to want the pattern for yourself. You can get it here at Etsy or here at Craftsy. ( all proceeds will be going to 2 charities they are pretty passionate about). I designed this quilt pattern myself. I'm calling it "FLIRT". I thought the paper piecing took on a modern feel so I wanted the blocks to go with it to be larger, more chunky. It was a little out of my boxHEART. The long rectangular blocks are 12" x 24" finished. My original design was to be a twin sized quilt. You know how I am about bed size quilts. But when I laid it out on my design wall floor, I didn't like it. So then I took away a few blocks and it was lap size. I still didn't like it so now it's wall hanging size 48" x 60". And now I LOVE it!

I played with my embroidery machine and finally figured out how to turn a design in the hoop to make it stitch out larger. The embroidery made a LOVELY addition to the blocks.

And the paper pieced blocks. I made 2 of each, swapping the focus fabric for the background in each of the 3 block patterns.

KISSES......

HUGS.....

HEARTS.....

I quilted it with a whimsical heart pattern in a Glide thread called Magic Mint to soften it up a bit.

But since I had all those extra blocks, 3 went into the backing.

I quilted my label in the back with my longarm and this time I got it right. The first time I stitched the label in the back of my son's quilt, I forgot to flip the design and you had to read it with a mirror. My son thought it was neat. It was a label in code!

And the other 2 went into a pillow case.

Now that LOVE was in the air, I made this little wall hanging/table topper. I was scheduled to teach an applique class to my quilt group, Texas Star Quilters and this was the perfect project. Didn't it turn out SWEET? I also used the pattern to teach the applique class I did at Nine Patch Quilts in Nevada, Missouri. Can you tell I LOVE that whimsical heart quilting pattern and the magic mint thread? I used it on this CUTIE PIE too.

I hope you have fell in LOVE with all these projects and want to create something for yourself. Be sure to hop on over and give the other ladies a HUG and a KISS! Here are the other SWEETHEARTS for today.

Now that you've made it all the way to the end of this post, YOU deserve a reward. I'm giving away a charm pack and a candy pack in the Moda Valentine fabric line. Just leave me a comment and tell me if you LOVE chocolate or could really live without it. I personally can live without it. It's really kinda funny. I LOVE chocolate cake and some chocolate brownies but hate chocolate candy bars, hot cocoa, chocolate ice cream, chocolate pudding.... you get the idea. I really just don't care for chocolate too much. As usual, you get additional chances if you follow my blog, like my FaceBook page, or share. I'll ship anywhere and make sure you're not a "no reply" blogger. I can't contact you if I don't know who you are. I'll announce the winner after the hop is over.

yes sweet Doris, I am chuckling here, there is no doubt you created this quilt…it says so on your fairly large label lol Tickled me to see how much you enjoyed this project…it is lovely….all of them…and speaking of chocolate, I am butterscotch, caramel girl…chocolate not a big lover of it either...

Doris your quilt is awesome. I love how the blocks look so different with just a little change in fabric position. Your fabric selection....LOVE! Quilting...LOVE! This is a beautiful addition to this Valentine celebration!

Wow! I love the wall hanging. You did a terrific job. I chuckled at the fiasco with the first label. So many blogs lead us to believe that everything happens right the first time, every time. I guess those folks don't have a seam ripper? I like how you utilized your "extra" blocks. Very creative. I've been thinking about the pillow case I need to make for my quilt for a quilt show. It's a king size quilt. I think I'm going to incorporate the scraps in the border on it, since I don't want to use all my red and blue scraps up and it will be a large case. See how you inspire us. I love your second project. Is there a pattern for it? I love, love, love hearts. There is a lady at church who often makes jam or something for our class. She gives it away as an attendance "prize." So, I've thought about making some small projects to work on my FMQ and donate them to the cause. Thanks for participating and being a great inspiration. A job well done.

Dear Doris! I love what you made with the paper piecing but your second quilt - it's amazing! Thank you for sharing! And I like chocolate but cookies are my favorite :) When I drink hot chocolate, it is always white chocolate...

I love your quilt. Great colors and fabrics and layout. The embroidery does add the perfect touch. Thank you for sharing. I love chocolate! Dark chocolate fudge from a nearby candy shop is the best although I only have it maybe twice a year. have a happy heart day! XOs from me to you ... <3 Pat

What beautiful projects! I love them both, and your quilting is perfect for these Valentine beauties! Thank you for sharing your amazing work! I do like chocolate--about any kind fixed any way. I'll be shopping right after today to pick up some good chocolate buys! LOL

lovely quilt, and HOW did you long arm that message?? very curious.... and you are CRAZY... not like chocolate? what's wrong with you??? LOL I LOVE chocolate, but not Hershey bars, they are too plain, I'll eat them but not my favorite, now I love hot chocolate, fancy chocolate, chocolate cake etc.....

Yes, I feel the love. What wonderful projects! I really enjoyed hearing how your design evolved from one piece to many. Not a bit of love wasted. Your appliqued heart project is adorable. I am amazed that you are able to longarm your label as you have. Just how do you do that? Thanks for sharing and for offering a giveaway. I LOVE chocolate. Really I think it is more of an addiction that a love. :) Happy Valentine's Day.

I love your quilts Doris..beautiful!! I also love chocolate but I am not suppose to eat it because I have heart disease and it does funny things to my heart rate. So, I guess I love it and "should" live without it....right!! Thank you for sharing!

Flirt is awesome and I love the back too! No chocolate for me as I am allergic to cocoa butter so have never really acquired a taste for good chocolate. Anything else I have tasted that is chocolate has always been an undesired flavor. More to go around for the chocolate lovers out there. (Smiles)

Flirt is awesome and I love the back too! No chocolate for me as I am allergic to cocoa butter so have never really acquired a taste for good chocolate. Anything else I have tasted that is chocolate has always been an undesired flavor. More to go around for the chocolate lovers out there. (Smiles)

Wow, so many beautiful projects. I especially love those little appliqué hearts. I think I have a pattern for them and should have made them for this year. But there is always next year! I love chocolate, but mostly only milk chocolate. IT can be in any form, candy, cake, drinks etc. I have one friend who doesn't like chocolate at all.

I do love chocolate. Sometimes I've given it up for a bit but then I come back to it with unbelievable gusto. I generally like dark chocolate but don't care for hot chocolate.Your quilt is wonderful. I'm glad you conquered the machine embroidery because that did add a sweet touch. I'm still laughing about the first label you made - backwards!!! lol